1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to remote control systems, remote commanders and remote control methods, apparatuses to be remotely controlled, and computer systems for remotely controlling television receivers, DVD players, other various AV and CE apparatuses, information apparatuses, etc. using the remote commanders. In particular, the present invention relates to remote control systems, remote commanders and remote control methods, apparatuses to be remotely controlled, and computer systems for achieving remote control freed from the constraints of directivity and transmittable distance from the remote commander to the apparatus to be controlled.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a remote control system, a remote commander and remote control method, an apparatus to be remotely controlled, and a computer system for enabling interactive communication between the remote commander and the apparatus to be controlled using a network based on TCP/IP or the like. In particular, the present invention relates to a remote control system, a remote commander and remote control method, an apparatus to be remotely controlled, and a computer system for performing a remote control operation upon an apparatus in front of a user, the apparatus having been selected so as to be operated from among a plurality of apparatuses freed from the constraints of directivity and transmittable distance.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, various home information appliances such as television receivers, video recording and reproducing apparatuses, and audiovisual apparatuses have been developed and manufactured, and have been widely used at home or in other living spaces. Basically, these information appliances are directly operated by means of user interfaces provided thereto. In addition, almost all information appliances are currently configured to be remotely operated by remote controllers.
In the field of consumer-oriented electric and electronic apparatuses such as home appliances, for example, infrared remote controllers adopting an amplitude modulation scheme have been developed as means for enabling users to remotely input operation commands into the apparatuses and have already become popular. A communication method using infrared rays has advantages of being inexpensive, consuming little electricity, being freed from legal restraints in every country, etc. This communication method does not need wiring, namely, does not need a connector for connecting cables, thereby leading to cost reduction. Moreover, the apparatuses are freed from mechanical wear due to the attachment/removal of the connectors thereto/therefrom for connection/disconnection.
However, the communication method using infrared rays has a problem of directivity. When the light receiving portion of a receiver is not directed in the range of a viewing angle of a transmitter, communication cannot be established. This becomes a large constraint (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-165281). Since the infrared communication method basically is a one-way communication method, a transmitter cannot receive a reply from a receiver, namely, cannot confirm the result of the transmission.
Home networks for interactively connecting home information appliances are currently penetrating the home market. For example, DLNA (the Digital Network Living Alliance) proposes a seamless and interactively connectable network system in which users can easily and conveniently enjoy contents at any location in a house using any home appliances (see, for example, the website of DLNA). According to this system, information such as AV content may be stored in any apparatuses on a network. That is, a user can watch the AV content not only in the room where an apparatus storing the content exists but also in other rooms separated from the above-mentioned room irrespective of the storage location of the content, whereby convenience for the user can be enhanced.
It can be expected that these apparatuses adapted to the DLNA guideline will be more widely used, and more and more apparatuses will be supported for networks. When the number of network-ready apparatuses is increased, remote control of these apparatuses, which has been performed using infrared communication, can be performed by means of a control point (hereinafter also referred to as an “IP remote controller”). The IP remote controller controls apparatuses on a network using an IP network that has few constraints of directivity and communication range (see, for example, Japanese Application No. 2005-17439 that has been assigned to the applicant of the present invention).
In the case of an infrared remote controller, when an apparatus to be controlled is not directed in the range of a viewing angle of the infrared remote controller, the apparatus cannot be operated owing to the constraint of directivity. Conversely, the apparatus to be controlled can be easily specified and be visually checked. In contrast, in a case where apparatuses are controlled by an IP remote controller, when a user wants to control an apparatus in front of him or her, the user has to go to the trouble of specifying the apparatus, because not only the apparatus in front of him or her but also other apparatuses can typically be controlled.
In a case where a plurality of controllable apparatuses exist on a network, an apparatus to be controlled can be specified in accordance with the following process that uses interactivity of network communication: the IP remote controller transmits a predetermined command on the network; it is determined whether a response is transmitted from any of the apparatuses on the network; and the determined result is displayed on a GUI (Graphical User Interface) of the IP remote controller (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-330827, FIG. 8). However, it cannot be determined whether the apparatus displayed on the GUI is truly the apparatus that a user wants to control at this time. Whether the desired apparatus to be controlled has been correctly specified can be determined only after the IP remote controller transmits a command that makes a request to perform an operation to the apparatus displayed on the GUI, and then the requested operation is performed by the apparatus.
When a list of apparatuses each of which having transmitted a response to the command is displayed, a user can understand the currently available apparatuses and easily select one of the apparatuses on a selection screen. However, when all apparatuses on the network are listed on the selection screen, it is difficult for the user to specify the apparatus in front of him or her.